


Back When You Were Still Mine

by rainlady



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: And Maybe a Bit Jealous, Bucky is Overprotective, Dom/sub, Established Relationship, Howard Stark is not a Complete Ass, M/M, Slightly AU Reality, Steve Rogers is not Completely Naive
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-06
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 16:17:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1750862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainlady/pseuds/rainlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Glimpses of a relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in a universe where D/s relationships (even those between men) are accepted as being normal especially for someone of Howard's stature. It becoming an actual lasting relationship however is not the norm especially between someone of different social circles like Howard and Steve. The armed forces also generally frowns on it going on among the ranks (even with civilian contractors) because they assume (wrongly) that it would mess with the command structure thus Howard and Steve keeping this whole thing quiet. The D/s aspect of this will probably be fairly mild they're still figuring this whole relationship.
> 
> This was originally going to be a one-off that was part of a longer series arc. I decided to turn it into a multi-part mini-story arc and haven't decided if I'll do more with the series as a whole or not. I might at least try to tackle the “Getting Together” section of things but it will depend on my muses. I do have an idea for stuff that happens after it all plays out but I'm not sure if my heart can handle the angst of actually writing it lol. We'll see. This can be read completely as a stand alone in any case.

The collar didn't look like much to Howard especially given the amount of money he'd paid for it (there was a war on of after all and the price of leather and metal was outrageously high though Howard would have gladly paid any amount of money to get it) . Still it filled him with an intense sense of satisfaction when he carefully pulled it out of the box it had just been delivered in and looked it over.

It was a simple band of dark olive green leather with a polish brass connection at the back, a small brass engraved plate and a pair of small keys that fit a brass colored lock that could be attached to the clasp if desired. 

If given a choice Howard would have chosen a different color and a shinier more expensive metal but it was not just his sensibilities that he was trying to accommodate but Steve's as well and he knew without a doubt that Steve would prefer the simpler model that echoed his army dress uniform that Howard currently held in in his hands.

Howard rubbed his hands against the brass plate on the back. It simply read “Rogers” on it in a tidy even script. But he knew that if it was removed and flipped over it also read “Stark” on the underside. It was all that the collar had that marked Steve as belonging to him. Again he would have gone bolder but he knew that Steve would appreciate the reserve he'd taken just this once.

Howard frowned softly as he turned the collar over in his hands and rubbed at the plain front. Truthfully he didn't know how Steve would take the collar at all. They'd never talked about it. They hadn't talked much about their relationship beyond setting up some ground rules at the very beginning which mostly had centered around the sexual aspect of things. Not that they'd had much of a chance to explore the sexual aspect given that that they were in the middle of the war. They were both extremely busy, Howard trying to figure out the enemy tech and counter it and Steve with his numerous missions deep behind enemy lines.

Mostly their relationship consisted of making use of what little downtime they did manage to get to relax and explore the roles they'd fallen into. Steve especially needed a place to unwind and calm himself between missions to keep himself on top of his metal and physical game. The thought of sex still made him nervous and jumpy and wound him up tighter then facing down a whole battlefield full of Nazis so Howard didn't press the subject more then once in a while and only when he felt the mood was right for it. In the end he got just as much joy taking care of Steve, making sure he felt comfortable, relaxed, and safe as he would have gotten indulging in baser instincts.

Besides it wasn't like there wasn't any hurry. 

There would be time enough to explore things further together after the war and he was looking forward to teaching Steve everything he knew. After the war was over...and Howard knew without a doubt that it would last after the war was over...he'd give Steve a different collar. One that was more brightly colored, blue perhaps to bring out his eyes, with the brighter clasps and a heavy tag that would show the world just who Steve's owner was and how much Howard valued him. He'd give that collar to Steve and then he'd spread the boy out beneath him and show him in slow intimate detail just what he couldn't with the hurried, heavy petting and sloppy kisses he currently was allowed to steal if he was lucky.

Howard was a patient man. He could wait.

* * *  
TBC


	2. Chapter 2

There was a commotion outside his lab. The sort of excitement that could only mean one thing. Someone had returned from a successful mission behind enemy lines. For the specific research department that encircled his lab there was only one group that could garner that much excitement. The Howling Commandos were back from a successful mission behind enemy lines. For Howard there was only one important thing about that. That meant Steve was back safe from a successful mission behind enemy lines.

Howard had spent enough time in the field with the unit to have become friends with all the men that made up Steve's inner circle but he wouldn't pretend that he cared or worried about the others as much as he did with Steve. He knew Steve could handle himself, had handled himself, on more missions then he could count, but that didn't mean that there wasn't still a silver of very real fear that took up residence in his heart when Steve went off on a mission without him. The last few had been deemed too risky for Howard's presence in the field despite that being his favored place because sometimes things got lost in transport, though Steve almost always made sure the most interesting items made their way back safely to Howard's eager hands, and you never knew when you might need a pilot who was willing to break the rules and get you somewhere fast. The later was probably exactly why Howard had found himself less and less often going into the field with the Commandos.

He might have to start putting up a fuss and talk about cutting funding again soon if they kept those sorts of games up and kept him at base all the time. He knew if the army got one whiff of him talking about him cutting his losses and heading back stateside that he'd be out in the field before he could draw up the paperwork to make it look like he was actually willing to do that.

It was yet another reason to keep his thing with Steve on the down low. It would take his number one blackmail card away from him if they knew there was no way he was going to leave Steve behind with an ocean between them. Howard may be perfectly confident in Steve's ability to take care of himself but he wasn't confident that the army wouldn't treat him as badly as they had in the past. Steve might be willing to forgive and forget but Howard certainly wasn't going to. That meant staying close and keeping an eye on things.

He stood up and crossed over to the door and leaned against it as the group came into view. He wasn't surprised to see it was the normal trifecta of Steve, Carter and Barnes. They were accepting congratulatory pats on the backs and cheers with practiced ease. Steve looking mildly uncomfortable whenever someone invaded his personal space a bit too much. It was mild enough that Howard didn't feel the urge to rush over there and interject himself into the celebration but enough that he made a note of who was behind the discomfort so he could subtly take them to task about it later. He stuck around long enough to catch Steve's eye to deliver a nod in his direction and then turned around and headed back to his desk to get back to work. If Steve had something for him he'd find his way there eventually and if he didn't they would see each other before the night was over. The quick glance was enough to make sure that Steve was still all in one piece but not enough to draw any unwanted attention to them.

Steve wanted to keep it private and though that went against Howard's nature he was willing to do as Steve wished. Steve certainly had some very good reasons to keep it private. Still he was pretty sure a few people had picked up on it, or had been told by Steve, if the over protective eye daggers that Barnes kept shooting his way were anything to go on, Howard was glad Barnes liked him enough that they weren't real daggers. Yet anyway. 

Howard was sure sooner or later Barnes would give him the “if you hurt him I'll kill you” you speech and when he did Howard would take it seriously. He'd seen how deadly Barnes could be when he put his mind to it. He was sure Barnes could kill him and easily make it look so much like an accident that no one would be the wiser for it.

He settled down at his desk and went back to his plans. The rise and fall of the voices, mostly the familiar timber of Steve's voice, calming him enough to finally get past the snag that had been bothering him for hours. He'd have to figure out some way to thank Steve for that later. He remembered the collar lying in it's box in his quarters safely hidden from where anyone might search through his belongings, that would be a good way to welcome the solider home.

“Mr. Stark.”

The soft way Steve cleared his voice just before he addressed Howard sent a thrill down his spine. Steve found lots of subtle ways to show his deference to Howard in company and Howard liked to note and catalog each one of them. He took a moment to finish his notation and then glanced up towards the door. Steve was hovering just inside the door frame. His hands held loosely behind his back and his normal parade rest expression on his face. But Howard knew better he could see the way Steve's eyes twinkled as they swept over him looking for any injuries that might have occurred while they were apart.

Because really of the two of them Howard was definitely the one more likely to get himself hurt then Steve was.

“Captain Rogers,” he said in an even polite tone since he was facing the door and could see the others lingering just beyond Steve. He couldn't give away his own private feelings as openly as Steve could but he knew Steve got the message in the use of his full title from the way the corner of his lips twisted up just slightly. “Glad to see you and all the rest made it home in one piece.”

“It's my job to make sure everyone gets home safe and I aim to do it every time we go out,” Steve said with a shy proud grin.

“See that you do, Solider,” Howard said knowing the true message behind the words, that Steve's most important job was to make sure HE got home, would be obvious in his heavy tone.

“I brought you back a little souvenir from the trip,” Steve said with a slight grin.

“Oh,” Howard said leaning forward, eagerness coursing through him at the very thought. 

If Steve was bringing it to him directly then it was bound to be the extra good stuff. He barely held himself back from making a grabby motion with his hands. He knew he'd never hear the end of it from Carter if he did. He shifted slightly in his seat and caught Carter's knowing grin from behind Steve out of the corner of his eye. He let himself glare in her direction. He was allowed to be excited about his job. It made him work harder which should make her bosses happy. 

Steve grinned slightly as he strode across the room at a quick pace. He dropped a small paper wrapped bundle onto the desk in front of Howard. Howard carefully peeled it open knowing that what paper held was the real reason this item was being delivered wrapped in it. Steve's heavy scrawl was evident under one of the folded layers of paper. 

These were the letters that Steve had written to him while in the field. He couldn't have mailed them for fear they would be read by someone else. He still wrote them even though he knew he couldn't mail them because he said they calmed and grounded him when they were apart. He always gave them to Howard when they were back together just to make the whole endeavor actually worth the time and paper. Howard wondered what the other Commandos thought of Steve writing letters when they knew he had no one at home to send them to. Steve probably wrote them only in the privacy of the tent he shared with Barnes. What Barnes thought of the writing...well Howard would probably find out his opinions on the matter soon enough.

Steve cleared his throat again softly pulling Howard out of his musings. Howard slanted a look upwards the expected knowing twinkle was hidden deep in Steve's eyes. He let a glare slip out but that only made Steve grin fully. Behind them Barnes cleared his throat in an irritated manner breaking the moment up efficiently.

“If you're done playing delivery boy can we go get that drink you promised me three days ago, Rogers?” he said shortly. “I'm parched in more ways then you can shake a stick at.”

“Yeah, gimme a sec Buck,” Steve answered quickly.

He said it with a tight frown on his face and Howard knew for sure in that moment that Barnes not only knew about the relationship but had probably had words about it with Steve. He felt the urge to go and have a few words with Barnes himself. The paper crinkled slightly and there was the bare brush of Steve's fingers against his as Steve pushed it closer to cover up what he was doing. The action was calming and Howard let out a breath of air and shared a glance with Steve before the other man moved his hands back behind his back.

“I found this in a locked safe in the last place we raided,” Steve explained. “There was a lot of stuff and we brought back a lot more for you and your team but this here looked the most interesting so I figured you might want to see it right away.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Howard said with a lopsided grin. “As always your attention to detail and keeping us scientists at the forefront of your mind when you're poking around in dangerous places is is greatly appreciated.”

“Just try not to blow yourself up this time,” Steve said his voice as light and teasing as he could get away with in company. 

“I'll do my best not to,” Howard teased back. He was skirting the edge of the line they'd placed in the sand but he hadn't seen Steve in weeks and he figured that out of the two of them he could probably get away with a bit more thanks to his reputation for flirting with anything that breathed.

“See that you do,” Steve volleyed back the truth in the teasing warning was there if you knew where to look for it. Barnes cleared his throat again with even more pronounced irritation. “Best let you get to it,” Steve said his eyes tightening just slightly. “Going to be a long night probably?”

Howard just barely managed to hide his irritation at Barnes' actions and his amusement at Steve's probing question by rubbing his hand across his face. “Not likely,” he answered back. “They've got me on a pretty tight schedule these days after a rather unfortunate incident with a couple of gallons of really bad scotch and a highly experimental aircraft.”

Steve's brow cocked high in response and Howard knew he'd be sharing that rather embarrassing story with Steve when they met up later. “Now off with you, Captain,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand but a light twinkle in his eyes. “I have a lot of work not blowing myself up ahead of me with this before my curfew sets in.”

He dropped his attention back to the table and felt rather then saw the curt nod Steve gave him in response. Steve turned on his heel and rejoined the other three at the door. He heard footsteps a short time later and raised his head again. He was only slightly surprised to see Barnes still standing in the doorway glaring openly at him.

“Is there a problem Sergeant Barnes?” he asked mildly in a bored tone.

“Not...yet...there isn't, Mr. Stark,” Barnes said in a cool voice his voice drawling dangerously against Howard's name.

Howard held Barnes' glare steadily waiting for the other man to say something to get this ball rolling. He didn't think that Barnes would do it so openly but the man was a wild card in every way. Howard had never had a friend like Barnes so he couldn't begin to understand the relationship he and Steve had. He wanted to be supportive of their friendship because he knew it meant a lot to Steve. He wanted to like Barnes because Barnes was actually a pretty fun guy and having him be protective of Steve in the field where Howard couldn't be was helpful. But if Barnes decided to cause problems he wasn't going to take it lying down. Steve was worth fighting for and if it came down to it Howard was willing to fight mean and dirty to keep him.

“Well if there is a problem be sure to let me know,” Howard said in a pointedly warning tone.

“Oh I definitely will, Sir,” Barnes' voice was snide and his face twisted into a slight sneer that would probably have gotten him in a lot of trouble if Howard cared to make a scene about it.

“Don't you have somewhere else to be?” Howard asked with a raised eyebrow and an expression that he hoped showed how willing he was to let this go down right there and then if that was what Barnes truly wanted.

“Last I checked I did,” Barnes threw back smoothly. “I'll be sure to share a drink or two with Steve with you in mind. Since you can't make it there to celebrate with...us...and all.”

“I'm sure I'll get a chance to join in with the celebrating...later...Sergeant Barnes,” Howard answered back with a smirk and he watched Barnes good natured mask slip away momentarily before it slid back into place. “Good day, Barnes,” Howard added with a dismissive wave and he once again turned his attention back to the object in front of him.

There was an irritated puff of air and then the stomp of feet against concrete as Barnes stormed off. Howard let out a sigh and muttered to himself about over protective big brother types as he removed the item from the paper it was nestled in. He carefully slipped the sheaf of papers into the interior pocket of the coat hanging over the back of his chair and then turned his attention fully on the shiny jewel in front of him.

It was small, roughly two inches high and one inch wide, made of some sort of metal and glistened blue light like so much of the Hydra tech they'd received. He poked it experimentally with his pen and listened as it clinked hollowly back at him. So it was some sort of container. So small that it could only have been designed to be hidden and therefore designed to hold the greatest secrets. He picked it up and examined it for any hidden latches. He didn't find any but he did manage to locate a thin crease in the side that looked like it was meant to be pried open with some sort of special tool. He might not have the tool in question but he certainly had a lot of things that he could try to replace it with. 

He set it down and clapped his hands together in excitement. He'd get to play with this little beauty and then he'd get to go home and play with an entirely different beauty for the rest of the night.

Once again Howard was reminded that he led an incredibly graced life.

* * *  
TBC


End file.
